Liverpool team vs Everton predicted as Hugo Ekitike and Alexis Mac Allister start

Having won late in each of its five games so far, Liverpool will be hoping for slightly less drama in today's Merseyside derby against Everton — though in such a fixture, any kind of win would be celebrated.

Arne Slot's side needed Virgil van Dijk to pop up with a late header midweek against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League after it let a two-goal lead slip. And at some point, it won't be able to rely on heroics in the final minutes.

But how will Liverpool line up against Everton? And will Alexander Isak be involved? Slot said that the Swede was feeling the effects of his 58-minute appearance on Wednesday, so it might be likeliest that he starts on the bench.

Alisson Becker will be in the Liverpool goal with the back four containing Van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate and a couple of decisions. At left-back, Andy Robertson did well enough to keep his place, though Milos Kerkez is another option.

And at right-back, Jeremie Frimpong played well midweek, but there is also Conor Bradley to consider. Dominik Szoboszlai could be another pick there — he has done well at full-back this season and it might be tricky to find a spot for him in midfield.

That is because Alexis Mac Allister is fit again and Ryan Gravenberch is undroppable, with Florian Wirtz likely to be deployed as a number 10.

Mohamed Salah and Cody Gakpo are set to be the wide players with Hugo Ekitike back in the team as a the striker. Isak could come off the bench as an impact player this time around.

"When we faced them last season, they had a very good spell as well — and it wasn’t a spell because they just kept on going with that and into this season again also," Slot said in his pre-match press conference.

"I think they’ve made some good signings and one of them is of course a player on loan who was worth £100m in the past, someone paid £100m for him and he is doing so well for them, Jack Grealish. So, a good team.

"Indeed, there is rivalry but what I also liked and I want to emphasize in this moment as well is what they did when Diogo [Jota] passed away.

"Coming to Anfield, being there, and of course they showed their respect from sporting director to sporting director and all these kind of things.

"So, in these moments of time, it’s so nice to see that in those tragedies the rivalry is still there but the respect towards both is also there.

"So yeah, looking forward to the game tomorrow because every Anfield game is special but this derby is even more special."

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